Mark's Plane Crash - ABC Channel 5 News Report

www.MarkFelling.com
This news report aired the evening of my forced landing plane crash into the Minnesota River Valley across the river from ValleyFair due to engine failure immediately after takeoff from Flying Cloud Airport and Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The crash happened at 9:50 PM and some mention made it later on the 10 PM news but I don't think this aired until the next day I'm guessing since it actually took them 45 minutes to locate me within infrared sensor in a helicopter. The first guy was airlifted in since it was among the trees in the marsh and then another 45 minutes to get a few more people there to lift up the back of the airplane and slide me out.

They said I was slipping in and out of consciousness and told the first guy on the scene to be careful because I might've broken my neck, that I was very numb all over. I actually glided the airplane down along the hill into the river valley trying to restart the engine. Then I had to turn 90° to avoid going in the river or I wouldn't had a 95% chance of being dead. Fixed gear aircraft somersault quickly when the wheels touch the water at 70 mph. I ended up trying to land it in a small clearing among the trees because the only other choices was marsh.

As I went down through the trees the rear wing clipped a solid tree or branch about 40 feet off the ground which stopped the airplane dead in midair but the momentum caused it to flip over upside down and I landed ker-plop upside down on my head with the airplane on top of me. I only had a small 1 inch scratch on my hand and crushed neck.

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• Airplane
• crash
• news
• report
• Mark Felling
• quadriplegic
• accident

[tailwheelflier]

your welcome to watch all of my videos on youtube. Your bird was very nice,,,,I'm sorry about your accident and what's happened to you. What is your current condition now?

[GimpGear]

@tailwheelflier

my condition is C4-C5 quadriplegia. But that means is I can move my arms around, though with limited strength since not all of the nerve signals get through, but have no finger or hand dexterity. My sensation line is at about the armpits. You can learn more about me and what I have been up to these past years by visiting either my personal or business website (Broadened Horizons) which are linked to in the video comments. I design adaptive technologies for the disabled.

[southtexan11]

When was this? I don't remember hearing about that?

[GimpGear]

@southtexan11

The forced landing crash due to engine failure right after takeoff occurred at about 9:50 PM, July 2, 2003

[anvil357]

I made an emergency landing with my twin beech south of Walla Walla. The right engine just quit and could not sart so I was forced to land in a hay feild. But, I'm just damn glad you're still alive